Pulling back The Curtain On The Extraordinary Story Of The Lyceum Theatre

The Lyceum Theatre on Wellington Street is well known today as having been home to Disney’s The Lion King musical since 1999. It does, however, have a history that stretches back much further. 

It is a tale that involves waxworks, a ‘stupendous ostrich’ , a Victorian star of the stage and a world famous author. 

Origins

The Lyceum’s story begins in 1765, after a building was constructed fronting onto the Strand, on a site next to the present theatre. The site of the present theatre below:

It was originally built to house exhibitions by the Society of Artists and was designed by architect James Paine, who also designed Richmond Bridge, the oldest surviving bridge in London spanning the River Thames. 

But where does the name ‘Lyceum’ come from? It derives from the ancient Greek Lykeion, the name of a gymnasium and its grounds in ancient Athens, associated with a sanctuary dedicated to the Greek god Apollo Lyceus. The site became famous as the place where the philosopher Aristotle established his school of philosophy in 334 BC. 

Over time, the word came to describe institutions and halls devoted to education, public lectures and activities such as concerts. The French word lycée, for an upper secondary school, derives from the same origin.

A Stupendous Ostrich

The Society of Artists was not a roaring success and the Lyceum started to be leased for other entertainments. Bare knuckle boxing matches took place here as as well as intellectual debates. In 1790 it became an exhibition space for exotic animals including ‘a most beautiful zebra’ and ‘a stupendous ostrich’.

Fireworks, Giants and Waxworks

Other entertainments included ‘Mr Diller’s Philosophical Fireworks’ and Patrick O’Brien, the Irish ‘giant’ who was over 8 feet tall. 

In 1794 the composer Samuel Arnold Sr rebuilt the interior to try and make it a proper theatre but failed to obtain a patent from the King to put on plays. The Lyceum therefore continued to put on other varied entertainments. Philip Astley, the originator of the modern circus, moved here for a period after his amphitheatre close to the South end of Westminster Bridge burnt down. In 1768 Astley had opened a riding school on the South bank of the river after returning from war. He would go on to perform tricks whilst riding a horse, but later combined with acrobats, rope dancers, clowns etc into a single unified performance.

In 1802 it was for a time the first exhibition space for the waxworks of Madame Tussaud. This would have included full length waxwork figures of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, made from life before the French Revolution by her mentor Philippe Curtius, as well as death masks (modelled from the actual severed heads) of figures like Maximilien Robespierre and Jean-Paul Marat, displayed alongside a model guillotine. She subsequently toured with her collection before establishing a permanent exhibition in Baker Street in 1835.

The Lyceum Becomes A Proper Theatre

In 1809 a fire destroyed the nearby Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, prompting the Drury Lane Company to move temporarily to the Lyceum and secure a proper stage license from the Lord Chamberlain. They used the theatre until 1812. 

Samuel Arnold rebuilt the theatre again in 1816, designed by Samuel Beazley and it became the English Opera House. In 1817 it became the first theatre in Britain to use gas lighting to light up the stage. 

As well as operas by Mozart and others, shows included a melodrama called The Vampire (apt for the later history of the theatre, as you will see) and fancy dress balls.

A club called the Sublime Society of Beefsteaks, founded in 1735 by theatre manager Henry Rich, later met at the Lyceum for fifty years until 1867. They would meet weekly to eat beefsteaks and drink port. Their motto: ‘beef and liberty!’. 

The Theatre Reborn

On the 16th February 1830 the theatre burnt down and was rebuilt, again designed by Beazley, with its entrance onto Wellington Street now rather than the Strand, as it is today. It opened in 1834 as the new Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House. 

The theatre would be rebuilt again in 1904, designed by Bertie Crewe, but retaining the grand neoclassical facade and portico of Beazley’s second theatre. Today therefore it has a Regency frontage but a beautiful Edwardian Rococo interior.

In the mid 19th century it became known for putting on a whole range of plays including staged versions of Dickens’ novels, for example Martin Chuzzlewit in 1848 and A Tale of two Cities in 1860.

A Victorian Star Of The Stage

In 1878 the Lyceum entered probably its most illustrious period when the famous actor Henry Irving took on the lease. 

Henry Irving was born John Henry Brodribb in Somerset in 1838. He left a job as a London law clerk after being inspired to act by seeing Samuel Phelps perform Hamlet at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre. He then took the stage name Henry Irving, when he made his amateur debut as Romeo in an amateur production.

Irving had his professional debut at the Lyceum in 1856 in the play Richelieu.

Irving would become one of the most acclaimed actors of his day, achieving London stardom in 1871 with the melodrama The Bells, performed at the Lyceum. He cemented his reputation with a historic and unprecedented 200-night run of Hamlet in 1874, also at the Lyceum. 

Irving was known to be commanding, meticulous, with a brooding intensity. In 1895 he was given a knighthood, making him the first actor to receive one. 

Henry Irving took on the lease of the Lyceum from 1878 until 1902. Irving turned it into the premier theatrical destination in Victorian London and it became particularly known for lavish and historically accurate Shakespeare productions. He also introduced the use of a darkened auditorium to concentrate the audience’s attention on the stage.

The Leading Lady

He performed there regularly with leading lady Ellen Terry (1847-1928), who he shared a highly successful professional partnership with for nearly 25 years. She was widely acclaimed for playing major Shakespearean roles like Lady Macbeth, Portia, Ophelia, and Desdemona.

She had a remarkable near 70 year career, first performing aged 9 in 1856 and making her final performance on screen in 1922. She died at her 16th century home Smallhythe Place in Kent. Smallhythe is owned by the National Trust today by the way and is a fascinating place to visit.

Bram Stoker At The Lyceum

From 1878-1904, throughout Irving’s time at the Lyceum, his business manager at the theatre was none other than Bram Stoker.

In December 1876, whilst working as a theatre critic for the Dublin Evening Mail, Stoker wrote a glowing review of Irving’s Hamlet at the Theatre Royal in Dublin.

Impressed by the review, Irving invited Stoker to dinner at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, and the two quickly struck up a close friendship. When he took over the Lyceum, Irving recruited Stoker as his personal assistant and business manager. 

Bram Stoker wrote Dracula whilst working at the Lyceum, publishing the work in 1897. He is said to have been influenced by the mannerisms and character of Henry Irving when developing the Dracula character, with Irving’s dramatic sweeping gestures and austere countenance. 

Stoker even staged a reading of the story at the Lyceum on 18th May 1897, for an invited audience, to retain the stage copyright for it. He had hoped Irving would star in it but Irving unfortunately reportedly dismissed it as ‘dreadful’.  

Irving’s Time Comes To An End

Towards the end of his time at the Lyceum Irving had a number of setbacks. He injured his knee in 1897 leading to him missing performances and tours. In 1898 a fire destroyed much of the scenery, costumes and sets and they did not have sufficient insurance coverage. Costly, grandiose productions failed to bring in the money required to turn things around. Irving started to be criticised by newcomers such as George Bernard Shaw for ignoring newer theatrical trends in favour of old fashioned melodramas. 

Irving’s time came to an end in 1902 and he died just a few years later on 13th October 1905. He was cremated and was the first person to have their ashes interred at Westminster Abbey. His ashes were placed in a coffin and then interred in Poet’s Corner. 

Bram Stoker focused on his writing, publishing several more books, and even wrote a biography of Irving in 1906 before his own death in 1912.

Rock Stars And Musicals

In 1939 the theatre was puchased by the London County Council aiming to knock it down for road improvements. It closed with a barnstorming performance of Hamlet directed and starred in by Sir John Gielgud. Gielgud was, by the way, Ellen Terry’s Great Nephew. 

The council plans collapsed during the Second World War and in 1945 it opened as The Lyceum Ballroom. The annual Miss World Pageant was held there from 1951-1968 and from the 1960s-1980s it became a concert venue. 

Bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Police, The Who, T.Rex, Iron Maiden and The Smiths have all performed there. Bob Marley and the Wailers live album Live! was recorded at the Lyceum in July 1975.

In 1968 the theatre, along with a number of others nearby, had to be saved again after a Greater London Council plan to completely redevelop Covent Garden. Campaigning by theatre groups and local residents helped defeat the proposals. In 1973 thankfully it gained a Grade II* listing protecting the building into the future. 

The theatre closed in 1986 before reopening in 1996 after a restoration. From 1996-1998 it hosted Jesus Christ Superstar, then, briefly, Oklahoma!. As mentioned at the top of the post, since 1999 has been home ever since to Disney’s The Lion King!

So yes, if you do visit to see the ever-popular, intergenerational show that is The Lion King, make sure to not forget that you are also stepping into 250 years of theatrical history.  

Thank you very much as ever for reading, more blog posts on London’s past below- have a browse!